The small power plant that became a major

Wanted to activate the town doctor

When Axel and family moved to the ground, they were immediately determined to take advantage of this option, though not fully, as they were only aiming to build a small power plant that was below 100 kW and thereby did not need a power permit.

What spread them continued was not financial benefits, as small power plants are usually not for costs, but primarily sustainability.

The family agreed on whether the implementation was authorized in the master plan of the area, but was announced by the municipality’s planning representative that this was not the case. It was clear that they requested that the project be planned for the implementation of a new master plan that was already under construction and it was approved.

Stop answering

A new structure came into force in 2023 and Axel then sought his neighbors on Ferstikla and Hrafnabjörg to obtain their permission for the project. Both landowners took good care of the idea and gave oral approval, but when Axel requested that the agreement be made formal with the signing of a contract, a different tone was made. The owners of Hrafnabjarga stop answering Axel and did not sign.

This put a bar in the account, especially because the intake structure of the power plant, 4-8 meters long and one meter high wall that was to be found in the Kuhallaá river, was supposed to come to the land of Hrafnabjörg, but it is the only place in the river where it is realistic to have the structure.

Map/mbl.is

Axel reported on this position in a statement with an application for a construction permit for the power plant sent to the Hvalfjarðarsveit in December 2023, but also stated that this should not be stopped.

Just a small wall

« Oral consent had been obtained without conditions from the owners of both lands for plans for power plant, but the owners of Hrafnabjarga have not seen a reason to respond in any way letters or e -mails due to the request for a written agreement on the plans. The land of Hrafnabjörg.

According to Axel, another option is to have the intake structure only in the half of the river that belongs to Þórisstaðir, but this option is considerably worse as conditions over the winter season create waterlessness due to ice.

« This input structure is just a small wall, there is no reservoir or anything, » says Axel in a conversation with Morgunblaðið, adding that landowners in Hrafnabjörg have been informed that it was obvious that a contract was obviously paid for a contract for other power plants.

Fear of decisions

No bottom has yet been obtained today in Axel’s efforts with the owners of Hrafnabjörg, but it is likely that the weather that the local government received from this communication has affected its treatment of Axel’s application for a construction permit. As mentioned earlier, he considers that treatment both abnormal and unfair.

« I experience this as some fear of them because they know that the landowner who has lived here for a long time has not given us permission and this is some decision -making, » says Axel, adding that according to information from the Hvalfjarðarsveit, no formal comment has been received for the project, only Axel’s report.

On the eve of the fact that he sent the application to the municipality, he applied to its planning representative to investigate whether he considered the implementation to be planned. Axel wants to avoid it as much as possible, as it is a very expensive and long process, but there are examples that it has taken 28 months to bring a simple sharing plan through the statutory process with the municipality.

The only place where it is possible to have the intake structure is above this waterfall, where the land of Þórisstaðir meets the land of Hrafnabjörg.

mbl.is/karitas

« I think it was the turning point« 

The planning officer replied that it would go according to the « scope and appearance » of the project whether a planning plan would be carried out and also stated that an opinion should be sought from the Planning Agency, as was the case. After repeatedly, Axel announced the planning officer that he had already consulted with the agency’s employee who felt that there was no need for a divisional law.

« I think it was the turning point that he decided not to ask for the Planning Agency’s opinion, because he knew the result, » says Axel.

The legal opinion unusual

Instead of looking to the Planning Agency, the municipality hired a lawyer to give an opinion, but Axel says it is very unusual.

« The municipality has never done so before and it is a key issue.

Asked why he thinks it has been decided to look further for a lawyer, Axel says it is probably because the municipality wanted to get a certain conclusion in the case, ie. that the implementation would have to be planned.

In the background of the film you can see an area where a 15 – 22 square meter station house should rise, but in addition to the intake structure, there was one visible trace of the project. A lawyer on behalf of the municipality considers it unclear whether the project is compatible with the regional pattern of the area, but in comparison, the Ruslag containers that see in the foreground are similarly large and proposed station houses.

mbl.is/karitas

Bizarre

In support of his case, Axel points out the conclusion of the legal opinion, which he considers to imply that its outcome has been predetermined, which states, among other things, « that there is some doubt as to whether the implementation is in accordance with the regional pattern of the Hvalfjörður quorum ».

This argument considers Axel to be devastated, as the visible trace of the project would be only the aforementioned input wall and a powerhouse that would not be greater than 22 square meters.

On the basis of the legal opinion, the local authority rejected a request for a construction permit for the power plant and requested that it be planned. Axel’s request was also to be allowed to come to the local government to present the plans, and the chairman of the Planning Committee saw no reason to respond repeatedly to the plans to present the plans to the committee.

Axel points out that there is no tradition for individual projects in the municipality to be planned, even in the case of much more extensive projects such as mining power of over 2 million cubic meters.

« There is no justification for our implementation, one project in the municipality since its establishment, needs to go into a sharing plan. No other individual implementation that is authorized in the master plan has had to go into a plan, » says Axel.

Is not compatible with the law

Axel has requested a reopening of the ruling of the Environmental and Natural Resources Appeals Committee, but the Appeals Committee confirmed the rejection of the municipality. This week, the Hvalfjarðarsveit sent a comment on the reopening request where it is opposed.

Axel also formally sent a formal complaint over the progress of the Hvalfjörður quorum to the Ministry of Interior. The Ministry concluded that the municipality’s administration was not in accordance with the law and that the ministry’s instructions were needed in further handling of the case.

«  » It is by no means possible to see that they follow the non -discrimination principle of administrative law in our application. Why have not been sought by professionals such as the Planning Agency in the decision -making process.

Axel has appealed the conclusion of the Hvalfjarðarsveit in the case.

mbl.is/karitas

Not against the power plants

Jökull Helgason is the Head of Department of the Environment and Planning Department of the Hvalfjörður Quarter, but he does not consider Axel’s criticism against the municipality to be reasoned.

« The municipality has nothing against the power plant and it is authorized according to the master plan, but the municipality requested that a plan be made and there we sit, » says Jökull.

Asked why it has been decided to seek legal opinion instead of seeking professionals such as the Planning Agency in the process of processing the case, says Jökull says that the municipality has a lawyer with whom it works many cases and that there is no criticism that it is an exception to seek a lawyer.

Contacted yourself with the Planning Agency

Then he adds: « It was completely sought for by the Planning Agency, I did it myself. »

What did the Planning Agency have to say?

« I can’t say that, but the Planning Agency’s answer is usually in the way that the local authority controls itself whether or not a land plan will be carried out. »

Jökull also points out that other power plants of a similar kind are in the municipality and that in that case, a land plan has also been requested.

In a conversation with Morgunblaðið, however, the owner of Þórisstaðir has argued that this is not a comparable issue, since a land development plan was already available in the area of ​​that power plant and therefore it is inevitable to go into a change process. However, no divisional plan is in effect on the land of Þórisstaðir. He also does not consider the projects comparable as the power plant that already exists in the municipality has a reservoir, but the Þórisstaðir power plant would be the flow plant.

Did not want to comment

During the processing of the news, Morgunblaðið did not include the chairman or vice-chairman of the Environment, Planning, Nature Conservation and Agriculture Committee, but other members did not want to comment on the matter.

Then a journalist also contacted the resident of Hrafnabjörg who did not want to discuss the matter.